Sentence Correction

Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, the gypsy moth was used by a French scientist in an attempt at developing a strong strain of silk-producing insects, crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
A. Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, the gypsy moth was used by a French scientist in an attempt at developing a strong strain of silk-producing insects, crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
B. Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, a French scientist was attempting to develop a strong strain of silk-producing insects by crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
C. To cross gypsy moths with adult silkworms, in attempting the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist in 1869 imported the gypsy moth into Massachusetts from Europe.
D. The gypsy moth was imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869 by a French scientist attempting to develop a strong strain of silk-producing insects by crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
E. In an attempt at the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist, importing the gypsy moth from Europe into Massachusetts in 1869 in order to cross gypsy moths and adult silkworms.

Need help from expert

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the correct answer seems D .

faults in bold :


Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, the gypsy moth was used by a French scientist in an attempt at developing a strong strain of silk-producing insects,crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.

A. Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, the gypsy moth was used by a French scientist in an attempt at developing a strong strain of silk-producing insects, crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.

B. Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, a French scientist was attempting to develop a strong strain of silk-producing insects by crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.

C. To cross gypsy moths with adult silkworms, in attempting the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist in 1869 imported the gypsy moth into Massachusetts from Europe.---->series of modifiers is no good

D. The gypsy moth was imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869 by a French scientist attempting to develop a strong strain of silk-producing insects by crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.------------>correct

E. In an attempt at the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist, importing the gypsy moth from Europe into Massachusetts in 1869 in order to cross gypsy moths and adult silkworms. --------->this is not even a complete sentence

Thank you for quick reply.
In C is it always the case that series of modifier is not good and we can eliminate that type of option? If no, can you give me example where this rule is not applicable?
In A, "crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms" this modifier is modifying the gypsy moth. That's why this option is wrong. Am I correct?

In C is it always the case that series of modifier is not good and we can eliminate that type of option? If no, can you give me example where this rule is not applicable?

this is not a hard fast rule but just a guide line .C can be eliminated for other reason as well

C: To cross gypsy moths with adult silkworms, in attempting the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist in 1869 imported the gypsy moth into Massachusetts from Europe.[/i

"in attempting the development" is way inferior to "in attempting to develop"

In A, "crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms" this modifier is modifying the gypsy moth. That's why this option is wrong. Am I correct?

correct

Md Raihan Uddin wrote:Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, the gypsy moth was used by a French scientist in an attempt at developing a strong strain of silk-producing insects, crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
A. Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, the gypsy moth was used by a French scientist in an attempt at developing a strong strain of silk-producing insects, crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
B. Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, a French scientist was attempting to develop a strong strain of silk-producing insects by crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
C. To cross gypsy moths with adult silkworms, in attempting the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist in 1869 imported the gypsy moth into Massachusetts from Europe.
D. The gypsy moth was imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869 by a French scientist attempting to develop a strong strain of silk-producing insects by crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
E. In an attempt at the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist, importing the gypsy moth from Europe into Massachusetts in 1869 in order to cross gypsy moths and adult silkworms.

The agent of a COMMA + VERBing modifier must be the SUBJECT OF THE PRECEDING CLAUSE.
A: The gypsy moth was used, crossing gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
Here, COMMA + crossing seems to refer to the gypsy moth (the subject of the preceding clause), implying that THE GYPSY MOTH was CROSSING gypsy moths with adult silkworms.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate A.

An introductory VERBed modifier must refer to the SUBJECT OF THE FOLLOWING CLAUSE.
B: Imported into Massachusetts from Europe in 1869, a French scientist...
Here, imported seems to modify a French scientist (the subject of the following clause), implying that A FRENCH SCIENTIST was IMPORTED into Massachusetts.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate B.

A introductory VERBing modifier must serve to express an action that is CONCURRENT with the main verb.
C: In attempting the development of a strong strain of silk-producing insects, a French scientist in 1869 imported the gypsy moth.
Here, the implication is that a French scientist was ATTEMPTING as he IMPORTED.
Not the intended sequence.
Clearly, the moth had to be imported BEFORE the scientist could attempt to develop the strain of insects.
Eliminate C.

In E, the subject (a French scientist) lacks a verb.
The result is a sentence fragment.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.

Thank you a lot Mitch for your reply.
Your explanations are always helpful.
I want to know few things about modifier.
1. Is it always the case that an introductory VERBing modifier must serve to express an action that is CONCURRENT with the main verb. Can you please give me two easy sentences to understand? If there is exception, what they can be.
2. Series of modifier is not good and we can eliminate that type of option. Is this always true? Can we say option C contains series of modifier? If no, what the role of the clause "To cross gypsy moths with adult silkworms" is in C.

3. We know that Verb+ing without comma indicate the immediate preceding noun. But there is exception to that rule. How can we understand that?
In the mid-1920's the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company was the scene of an intensive series of experiments investigating the effects that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance.

In the above sentence investigating doesn't indicate experiment. I think this is what against we generally know. How will we handle this type of exception? When I was solving the question I immediately eliminated it thinking that experiments can't investigate.But I was wrong. Surprisingly That was the correct answer.
Please help me.

Gmat Guru is real legend of GMAT . His responses are immaculate and to the point .

i will give a shot at your questions

Is it always the case that an introductory VERBing modifier must serve to express an action that is CONCURRENT with the main verb. Can you please give me two easy sentences to understand?

yes this is always true in fact VERBING do not have tenses . They always take the tense of the main clause
for instance : i saw a girl dancing on the floor ----> the fact that girl was dancing on the floor is a past event

i see a girl dancing on the floor ---> implies that the girl is still dancing on the floor when i am seeing her

Series of modifier is not good and we can eliminate that type of option. Is this always true? Can we say option C contains series of modifier?

i will wait as what Guru tells on this one . i think he once told me that they can be used . he even gave examples BUT given a situation in which we have a better construction, as is the case here, then we can avoid such construction

We know that Verb+ing without comma modify the immediate preceding noun. But there is exception to that rule. How can we understand that?
In the mid-1920's the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company was the scene of an intensive series of experiments investigating the effects that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance.

is it? i feel that "investigating" is modifying "experiments"

According to e-Gmat (and probably other websites too), " Verbing modifier After clause preceded by comma should modify the preceding clause",
But Mitch says that Agent of VERBING is the subject of preceding clause. I got confused. Please suggest which rule is correct. I can agree that the AGENT is the subject of preceding clause. But does the VERBING modify the clause or only the AGENT (Aka the subject of the preceding clause)?

kutlee wrote:According to e-Gmat (and probably other websites too), " Verbing modifier After clause preceded by comma should modify the preceding clause",
But Mitch says that Agent of VERBING is the subject of preceding clause. I got confused. Please suggest which rule is correct. I can agree that the AGENT is the subject of preceding clause. But does the VERBING modify the clause or only the AGENT (Aka the subject of the preceding clause)?

There is no contradiction here. A COMMA + VERBing modifier must satisfy two constraints:

1. The AGENT of the COMMA + VERBing action must be the nearest preceding subject.
2. The COMMA + VERBing action must RESULT FROM or BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO the preceding ACTION.

Because COMMA + VERBing serves to modify both the preceding SUBJECT and the preceding ACTION, it can be said to modify the PRECEDING CLAUSE.

SC30 in the OG12:
Animal-hide shields with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment, protecting warriors against enemy arrows.
Here, COMMA + protecting serves to modify both animal-hide shields (the preceding subject) and were essential (the preceding action).
Since the shields are PROTECTING warriors, the shields are the AGENT of the protecting action.
At the same time, the act of PROTECTING serves to modify were essential, expressing WHY the shields WERE ESSENTIAL.
Since COMMA + protecting serves to modify both the preceding subject and the preceding action, it can be said to modify the PRECEDING CLAUSE.

thanks Mitch. That cleared up things.